This Year's Rookie Receivers

[Baschski]

Why the hell does everyone on this board think that AJ Green is automatically going to come in and be the #1 receiver like it's no big deal? None of the receivers taken this past year could have done that and I have a hard time believing Green is that much better than all of them.

[Cavscout]

I could see going into next season with Gettis and LaFell as the starters and Steve Smith as the number three.

I agree...no need to draft Adriel Green

[Catalyst]

No WR's taken have become top targets? WR's taken top-5 since 2003:

2003: Charles Rogers (bust), Andre Johnson (stud Pro Bowler)

2004: Larry Fitzgerald (stud Pro Bowler)

2005: Braylon Edwards (solid, nothing special)

2006: None

2007: Calvin Johnson (stud Pro Bowler)

2008: None

2009: None

2010: None

That's 3/5 that became among the best WR's in the NFL, one who made a Pro Bowl, but then fell off, and one outright bust. I'd say those odds are pretty good. Especially considering that Green has been called the best WR since Calvin Johnson.

Now, look at the DT's picked top-10 during the same period. There have only been three taken top-5 in that span (Dewayne Robertson, Dorsey & Suh) so I'll go top-10 and compare:

2003: Dewayne Robertson (bust), Kevin Williams (Pro Bowler)

2004: None

2005: None

2006: None

2007: Amobi Okoye (bust)

2008: Glenn Dorsey (bust), Sedrick Ellis (solid player)

2009: B. J. Raji (solid player, Pro Bowl potential)

2010: Ndamukong Suh (best 4-3 DT in NFL as a rookie)

So... picking a DT in the 6-10 range is generally pretty safe (Kevin Williams, Sedrick Ellis, B.J. Raji). But top-5 DT's are a huge risk with only one hit in the 3 taken since '03: Suh, who was the best DT prospect in a generation.

[Urrymonster]

I hate to say it but Okoye and Dorsey played pretty well this year.

[MHS831]

Before people praise Hurney about these picks, remember one thing: We were in a position where we HAD to play rookies. Hurney had been here 9 years and our WRs were drafted before he arrived.

About not needing another WR. Nonsense. We need 4 game-ready WRs to open up the offense. Our WRs were average at best. Compare Lafell and Gettis to the entire league. Below average. Smith is old. Smith is frustrated and I have reason to think he wants a trade. A playmaking WR is huge in the NFL. What has Smith done for our team? At 32, he needs to be thanked for his efforts at #1 WR and moved to the slot, where he can be dangerous again. We then need a true #1 WR. I think Green is the only one in the draft capable. Gettis and Lafell are going to be good #2 WRs and give us awesome size in 4 WR sets, but neither will become #1. In addition, Edwards can learn from Smith in the slot.

I know we need DTs and a CB. But the draft is deep at DT and we have options at CB. For example, move Pugh. Start Munnerlyn. Add a CB in the mid rounds. Coach up McClain.

[jtm]

Pretty much all of them were actually in better offenses with more established quarterbacks throwing to them.

Yes but Lafell and Gettis probably got twice the number of reps v. all the other guys based on necessity. Dez Bryant didn't really start getting a lot of reps until the middle of the year. I think Gettis and Lafell did great for a rookie season but I think if you broke down the number reps in a game - Lafell and Gettis will have almost twice everyone else.

[Mr. Scot]

Our offense was a three-and-out machine for most of the year, we pretty much always lost the time of possession battle, we rarely were able to convert third downs or create sustained drives, and people are suggesting that the reason for LaFell and Gettis having good stats is because they played more snaps? :sosp:

(seriously?)

[bleys]

Why the hell does everyone on this board think that AJ Green is automatically going to come in and be the #1 receiver like it's no big deal? None of the receivers taken this past year could have done that and I have a hard time believing Green is that much better than all of them.

the exact same thing can be said for Fairely... and is much more likely to be the case..

if anyone wants an immediate impact DT, they need to think FA.. Fairely will most likely take 2-3 years to be the guy you all think he will be..

Green very well could step in an have more of an immediate impact... but could take a year or 2 as well..

[rmoneyg35]

I just hope we can have a qb to throw the WRs the ball. We can have the best WRs in the NFL but if they all play like Clausen did this season then we won't be winning any games.

[Darth Urious]

All that one needs to do to look at our rookie WR anomaly this year is look back when Keary Colbert had to step in as a rookie for an injured Steve Smith... He had better numbers, and where is he now?

For that matter, the Patriots alone had TWO ROOKIE TEs that had better numbers than both Gettis and LaFell... the Lions had a rookie RB with better receiving numbers, and the Redskins had a RB with more receptions than both LaFell and Gettis... Cincy had TO and Ochocinco, and still had a rookie TE and a rookie WR that put up better numbers...

Yeah, our QB play this year was crap... but, neither are anything to brag about at current, especially when one was drafted to be the #2 threat opposite Smitty to take the pressure off...

I'll remain cautiously optimistic about them, but I'd still take A.J. Green over Nick Fairley any day of the week...

[trucpfan]

Why the hell does everyone on this board think that AJ Green is automatically going to come in and be the #1 receiver like it's no big deal? None of the receivers taken this past year could have done that and I have a hard time believing Green is that much better than all of them.

So you don't think Dez Bryant could have come in and become our number one reciever???:confused:

Gettis and Lafell really aren't established consistent threats though. They still need all the playing time and targets they can get so they continue to develop. Don't think it's a good idea to bury them on the depth chart, JMO. (Not to mention we don't have Aaron Rodgers to spread the ball to everyone)

They won't be buried on the depth chart you really do have to look at GB and thier recievers or even Pittsburg you need several options. First you have to get out of the Fox mindset two wideouts two tight ends bland vanilla formations. Three and four wideout sets are NORMAL aggressive, attacking stlyles nowadays. They will get plenty of playing time matching Smith up against the nickel back hmmmm let's think about that or even Lafell against a lb or fourth db. We are looking to attack not play conservative ball, think about San Deigo L. Naanee, P. Crayton B. Davis, M. Floyd and V-Jax with a probowl tight end that's what you call an attacking offense. Yea we don't have Rivers or Rodgers but you have to give your qb multiple weapons so he can become that guy. Just think about that for a moment.

look at Green Bay dude. they have like 5 different receivers that all contribute to the team.

that's not me saying we SHOULD draft Green(I am also a Patrick Peterson fan), it's me saying that's not the reason to pass on him.

Im still undecided but if we can get the average production (rookie year) of lets say A. Johnson/C. Johnson thats about 800 yds with 5 td's add in the fact that niether went to a team with a legitimate RUN GAME. Just my thoughts when factoring in revamping the last ranked offense in the league.:yikes:

[bleys]

So you don't think Dez Bryant could have come in and become our number one reciever???:confused:

They won't be buried on the depth chart you really do have to look at GB and thier recievers or even Pittsburg you need several options. First you have to get out of the Fox mindset two wideouts two tight ends bland vanilla formations. Three and four wideout sets are NORMAL aggressive, attacking stlyles nowadays. They will get plenty of playing time matching Smith up against the nickel back hmmmm let's think about that or even Lafell against a lb or fourth db. We are looking to attack not play conservative ball, think about San Deigo L. Naanee, P. Crayton B. Davis, M. Floyd and V-Jax with a probowl tight end that's what you call an attacking offense. Yea we don't have Rivers or Rodgers but you have to give your qb multiple weapons so he can become that guy. Just think about that for a moment.

Im still undecided but if we can get the average production (rookie year) of lets say A. Johnson/C. Johnson thats about 800 yds with 5 td's add in the fact that niether went to a team with a legitimate RUN GAME. Just my thoughts when factoring in revamping the last ranked offense in the league.:yikes:

someone gets it..

[ed bell]

Yes but Lafell and Gettis probably got twice the number of reps v. all the other guys based on necessity. Dez Bryant didn't really start getting a lot of reps until the middle of the year. I think Gettis and Lafell did great for a rookie season but I think if you broke down the number reps in a game - Lafell and Gettis will have almost twice everyone else.

This, IMO is a big reason our rookies on the entire 2010 roster reaped the benefits of the 2-14 lame duck year. Regular season game reps while their counterparts on other teams tend to be on the sidelines more often. I'm thinking it accelerated LaFell and Gettis' development.

[rmoneyg35]

Look at other succesful offenses in TODAY'S NFL. They all have more than 2 reciever sets and multiple TEs that can catch the ball. Fox wanted a run first team and we never used WR or TE sets like the Packers, Saints, or Pats use. I think John Fox ruined our offenses potiential with horrible play calling. Sure it can be succesful... in the 1990s but in todays NFL you have to have 4 good WRs. Our offense was decent when we had Smith Moose, and Prohel. We did dominate with only two WRs but we lost to a team that had a great group of WR in the playoffs. We need to get another WR and atleast two decent TE that can catch if we want to be decent next year.